NORTHERN IRELAND

Moylinn GP Co-operative

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in developing a replacement facility for Moylinn Out-of-hours GP Co-operative in Craigavon.

Angela Smith: The Association of Southern Area Doctors on Call (ASADOC), in conjunction with the Southern Health and Social Services Board and Craigavon Area Hospital Trust, have finalised plans for the development of a new out-of-hours centre on the Craigavon Area Hospital site as a replacement for the current centre at Moylinn.
	A contract for the building of new premises has now been agreed, with the work due to start in the near future. The expected date of completion for the new facility is September 2004.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Kyoto

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations her Department has conducted on the ratification of the Kyoto Accord.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 13 July 2004
	The UK ratified the Kyoto Protocol, along with the rest of the EU, in May 2002. The Kyoto Protocol is a crucial first step in developing an effective international regime on climate change and we continue to encourage all countries that have not yet done so to ratify. In order to enter into force the Protocol must be ratified by at least 55 countries including developed countries that account for 55 per cent. of this group's greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. Because of the withdrawal of the United States from the Protocol in 2001, entry into force requires ratification by Russia, responsible for 17.4 per cent. of developed countries' greenhouse gas emissions in 1990.
	This Department along with others continues to urge Russia to ratify as soon as possible. We believe there are strong economic as well as environmental advantages to Russia of ratification and put these across at every opportunity. We welcomed President Putin's positive statement on 21 May that in light of progress made in WTO negotiations he would accelerate movement towards ratification.

Aarhus Convention

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the EU regarding the Aarhus Convention.

Elliot Morley: The Department has been actively involved in all discussions within the EU on the Aarhus Convention since the UK and the Community signed it in 1998. The Dutch Presidency of the EU recently indicated that it would reopen negotiations on the package of measures proposed by the European Commission in 2003 to complete implementation of the Convention in the Community. The Department will lead for the UK Government in these negotiations.

Bastroe Channel

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Romania and (b) Ukraine regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel and its effect on the Danube Delta; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the EU regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel and its effect on the Danube Delta.

Elliot Morley: The Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has not had any bilateral discussions with her counterparts in the EU, Romania or Ukraine regarding the proposed construction of the Bastroe channel.
	The issue is being discussed at EU level between EU Institutions and the Ukrainian Government. The subject was also raised last week at the EU/Ukraine summit in the Hague.
	Practical steps to resolve the issue have already been taken by the Council of Europe. Ukraine has agreed to an independent environmental impact assessment by experts appointed by the Council of Europe, which is scheduled to take place at the end of July. The results will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. The UK Government fully supports this course of action.

Combined Heat and Power

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much good quality combined heat and power plant capacity has been brought online as a consequence of the Government's (a) programme of climate change agreements and (b) enhanced capital allowances programme.

Elliot Morley: There has been no assessment made of the change in use of CHP by companies covered by climate change agreements The agreements set targets for improvements in energy efficiency, which in some cases take account of the potential for CHP in the facility. In other cases, operators are required to make an assessment of the potential for CHP, which may result in a change to their targets. Operators are free to meet their targets in a range of ways.
	Defra has issued 89 enhanced capital allowance certificates of energy-efficiency to new CHP schemes. Information is not available on the capacity of Good Quality CHP that has been brought online as a result of the availability of Enhanced Capital Allowances.

Environment Agency (Discussions/Public Database)

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what matters the Environment Agency (a) has discussed in the past year and (b) plans to discuss with other environmental regulators in the European Union; what the outcomes of past discussions have been; what her policy is on transparency of such discussions; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: As befits an organisation with its range of regulatory responsibilities, the Environment Agency has frequent contact with other EU and international environmental regulators to share experience and knowledge on mattersconcerning the implementation and enforcement of environmental law. This includes active participation in IMPEL, a network of EU environmental regulators whose purpose is to ensure more effective implementation and enforcement of EU environmental legislation, to share information and experience and to promote good practice. The Agency led a recent IMPEL project on better EU legislation and is leading projects on transfrontier shipments of waste, emissions trading and assessing the impact on human health of environmental emissions. Reports on completed IMPEL projects are published on the IMPEL web-site, as is information about IMPEL's current work programme.
	The Agency also participates in a new informal network bringing together the heads of organisations involved in the practical day-to-day implementation of environmental policy in the EU to exchange views on issues of common interest. Discussions at the last meeting focused on evaluating performance and the environmental impacts of agriculture. A summary of the meeting is published on the web-site of the European Environment Agency. The Environment Agency is co-hosting the next meeting of the network jointly with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

Environment Agency (Discussions/Public Database)

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will propose to the Environment Agency that it maintain a public database summarising the facts, sentence and aggravating and mitigating circumstances of each prosecution it secures.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency maintains a National Enforcement Database, which holds data on prosecutions undertaken, formal cautions administered, and enforcement notices served, including the names of the individuals concerned, the alleged statutory offences, the court that dealt with the offences, the penalty imposed, and the costs awarded. The database is not available to the public, although the Agency is exploring means to make such information as accessible as data protection legislation will allow. Details of major prosecutions resulting in convictions may be accessed via Press Releases posted on the Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk. The Department has no plans to require the Agency to collect further data on prosecutions.

Fallen Stock

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of calf carcases that require disposal she estimates are collected by hunt kennels.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not available.

Fallen Stock

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations have been made to her Department about the role that hunt kennels play in collecting horse carcases.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has had a number of discussions and representations about the role hunt kennels play in collection of fallen stock but none specifically regarding collection of horse carcases.

Flood Defences (Herefordshire)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to improve flood defences in Herefordshire;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy to ensure that Herefordshire has adequate flood defences.

Elliot Morley: The relevant legislation provides for the operating authorities, rather than my right hon. Friend, to determine which schemes they wish to promote and their timing. I am aware that the Environment Agency are considering proposals for flood defence works at Hereford. Stakeholder consultations and the initial engineering design work and business justification are reaching the stage where specific proposals can be identified.
	I also understand that the Herefordshire county council is considering defence works at Ross-on-Wye.

Land Access

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans are in place to inform walkers (a) what land is open access on 19 September and (b) what land will be open access at a later date.

Alun Michael: We are committed to introducing the new right of access in England under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 in every region of England before the end of 2005. The South East and lower North West, will open for access on 19 September. I have announced a timetable for opening access in the other areas to ensure that those people preparing to use their new rights can plan ahead.
	We have drawn up a detailed communications framework, in partnership with the Countryside Agency, the Association of National Park Authorities, English Nature, the Forestry Commission, the Local Government Association, the Ministry of Defence and Ordnance Survey. The plan sets out a number of objectives and actions for each organisation so that the public, land managers, interest groups and other stakeholders should be aware, understand and appreciate the new countryside access rights and responsibilities.
	Ordnance Survey is carrying out a revision of its Explorer maps to inform walkers about what land is open. It is preparing for the launch of access land in the first two regions in September. In later regions it will also publish updated Explorer maps as close as possible to the commencement of the new rights, with complete coverage scheduled for summer 2006. The maps will provide clear information on access land to map users.
	In addition, to coincide with the issue of a new and up-to-date Countryside Code on 12 July, the Countryside Agency launched a new website to help the public find out what they can do and where they can go in the English countryside. The new website contains information about the new access rights and also advice for landowners and managers on how to manage public access and details of the restrictions process. As the new rights are commenced, the website will include a map showing access land in each region. The public will be able to see if other access rights are available (such as bridleways), to check whether any local closures or restrictions are in force and to find the location of local "Access Information Points". An Open Access Contact Centre has also been established to provide information to the public about the new access rights.
	We also expect information for walkers to be available locally, from a variety of outlets including National Park visitor centres, and 'on the ground'. The Countryside Agency is issuing guidance to access authorities (National Park Authorities in National Parks and local highway authorities elsewhere) and to land managers on the use of signs. An open access symbol will indicate land that may be open for public access on foot.

Landfill

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the difference in the figures for the maximum amount of biodegradable municipal waste permitted to be sent to landfill in (a) 2010, (b) 2013 and (c) 2020 between the Final Regulatory Impact Assessment on The Landfill (Scheme Year and Maximum Landfill Amount) Regulations 2004 and the text of the Statutory Instrument The Landfill (Scheme Year and Maximum Landfill Amount) Regulations 2004;
	(2)  what the maximum amount of biodegradable municipal waste permitted to be sent to landfill in (a) 2010, (b) 2013 and (c) 2020 will be.

Elliot Morley: The maximum amount of biodegradable municipal waste allowed to be sent to landfill in the UK in 2010 is 13.7 million tonnes, decreasing to 9.13 million tonnes in 2013 and to 6.39 million tonnes in 2020. These figures are set out in The Landfill (Scheme Year and Maximum Landfill Amount) Regulations 2004.
	Due to an administrative error by my Department, for which I apologise, the published Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Statutory Instrument was not the final version so contained indicative figures for the target years rather than the updated final figures. The correct version of the Final Regulatory Impact Assessment on The Landfill (Scheme Year and Maximum Landfill Amount) Regulations 2004 has now been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Life Cycle Analysis

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on (a) her plans for improving the knowledge and application of life-cycle analysis within the British economy and (b) international discussions in which her Department is involved to secure international best practice and consistency in such analysis.

Elliot Morley: The UK Government Framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production, published last year, sets out our broad policy approach. This includes an emphasis on policy development which considers the whole life-cycles of products and services in the economy, and which intervenes as early as practicable in the use of natural resources. We will continue to pursue this approach in policy at a national level and in discussion with our international partners. We also support the development and uptake of technical standards and methodologies (principally in the 'ISO 14000' series of the International Organisation for Standardisation) which help to apply life-cycle thinking in the field of impact assessment, product development, product information and environmental management systems.

Livestock Tracing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that livestock can be traced from birth to slaughter.

Ben Bradshaw: There are a number of mechanisms in place to trace livestock. These include:
	(a) Registration of holdings where livestock are kept;
	(b) Identification of all livestock and in the case of cattle, sheep and goats unique identification from birth;
	(c) On-farm registers which record all batch movements of sheep, goats and pigs and individual movements of cattle.
	(d) Movement documents to accompany batch movements of sheep, goats and pigs and valid cattle passports to accompany individual movements of cattle.
	(e) Notification of movements to the central database.

Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons she had not answered by 21 June the question tabled by the hon. Member for Lewes on 22 March, concerning her engagements for the two months from 15 March;
	(2)  for what reasons she had not replied by 13 July to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Lewes on 24 June ref 180401.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 24 June 2004
	The question tabled by the hon. Member for Lewes on 22 March has now been answered.

Rural Payments Agency Inspectorate

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to minimise the disruption to farmers caused by the Rural Payments Agency Inspectorate; what the estimated average length of farm staff time has been for compliance with the Rural Payments Agency Inspectorate; and what the average length of notice given to farmers prior to an inspection has been.

Alun Michael: EU regulations require that a specific percentage of claims across all CAP schemes are subject to on the spot checks within defined periods and with limits on the amount of notice that can be given. The Rural Payments Agency endeavour to minimise disruption to farmers by combining different inspections into one visit. An example of this is the Cattle inspections which can incorporate up to six different schemes.
	The estimated average length of farm staff time taken on inspections will depend on the type of inspection, the size and clarity of the submitted claim and how that compares with what is found on the ground. However, the RPA is committed to reducing, as far as possible, the time spent on farm by ensuring that its inspectors are fully trained in all aspects of the schemes they are verifying.
	EU regulations for on farm inspections require that no notice of inspections to be given. However, for some visits up to 48 hours notice may be given without breaching the regulations. Nevertheless the EU expectation is that visits will take place without notice and only exceptionally should notice be given for example, when farm staff need to gather animals which are extensively grazed.

Rural Proofing

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the Countryside Agency's Rural Proofing report.

Alun Michael: I welcome the Countryside Agency's independent report which shows that in the three years since rural proofing was introduced, it has increasingly become an integral part of departments' policy making process. The report also makes valuable recommendations to government at all levels on further strengthening delivery to rural areas, and recognises the important step that we have made in making rural proofing a thematic issue for all Departments for the 2004 Spending Review.

Rural Strategy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Rural Strategy update to be published; and what consultation will follow publication.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, hopes to publish the Rural Strategy shortly. Rural policy and delivery is a complex area and we are taking the time we need to ensure that our decisions lead to workable and enduring arrangements.
	A wide range of stakeholders and interested parties have been consulted, in particular through the Review of the Rural White Paper, and the Review of Rural Delivery carried out by the noble Lord Haskins. The Department has also worked in close partnership with a wide range of delivery partners and stakeholders in taking forward work on the strategy and on modernising rural delivery and will continue to do so up to and following the publication of the Rural Strategy.

Sugar Beet

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sugar beet producers she expects there to be in the UK in (a) 2008, (b) 2010 and (c) 2014.

Alun Michael: The number of UK producers growing sugar beet in future years will depend on a range of factors, including the relevant provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy at the time.
	Following the issue of a paper in September 2003 on options for reform of the existing sugar regime, we understand that the European Commission may present a further Communication to the Agriculture Council on 19 July setting out their preferred approach. We will not be in a position to make any assessment before then.

Sugar Beet

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sugar beet producers there were in the UK on 1 July (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2003.

Alun Michael: The June Agricultural Census indicates that the number of holdings in England growing sugar beet were:
	(a) 1997—9,358
	(b) 2000—8,655
	(c) 2003—7,432
	Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.
	Note:
	Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards all holdings are included.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census

Sugar Beet

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact the European Commission's White Paper will have on British sugar beet producers.

Alun Michael: The European Commission issued a paper on sugar reform in September 2003 outlining broad options for political debate. We understand that a further Communication may be presented to the Agriculture Council on 19 July setting out their preferred approach in the light of the reactions they have received. Any assessment will need to await this.

UK Natura

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government spending has been allocated to UK Natura 2000 sites of European importance for nature in this financial year.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Natura 2000 sites are underpinned by designation as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), with approximately 70 per cent. of SSSIs being Natura 2000 sites. There is not separate accounting for costs relating to European and National site designations, and protection of Natura 2000 sites is not differentiated from measures to protect SSSIs more generally. Moreover, decisions on spending are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	Measures which contribute to protecting Natura 2000 sites in England include the operation of the planning system, the work of Sea Fisheries Committees, funding from English Nature, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission, agri-environment schemes and spending by public bodies in their role as owners of Natura 2000 sites.
	In 2002 the European Commission asked member states for a 10 year estimate of forecast spending on Natura 2000 sites. In reply we estimated that, as a minimum, in the region of €50 million per annum was likely to be spent on the UK's network of SSSI and Natura 2000 sites from all sources.

UK Natura

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the Government's position is on the (a) current and (b) future role of the EU LIFE-Nature programme in supporting management of the Natura 2000 network in the UK;
	(2)  what her policy is on the continuation of an EU fund dedicated to nature conservation; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The EU LIFE-Nature Programme has provided valuable funds for projects that have stimulated best practice in establishing, monitoring and managing Natura 2000 sites. The UK supports the extension of the current enabling EC regulation until 2006 and looks forward to debating the future financing of the Natura network following an expected Commission Communication on the subject due in the next few months.

Waste Management

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of (a) municipal waste disposal, (b) industrial waste disposal and (c) hazardous waste disposal in England.

Elliot Morley: Government policy on the disposal of waste in England is set out in Waste Strategy 2000.

Waterways

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of funding by her Department to British Waterways in 2004–05 is to fund the strategic investment on waterway infrastructure; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: British Waterways has now cleared its safety-related maintenance backlog and is concentrating on its backlog of statutory arrears, currently standing at £158 million It will be spending £25 million on this work in 2004–05. This represents 42 per cent. of its grant in aid from Defra (£59 million). BW hopes to eliminate its backlog of statutory arrears by 2012.

HEALTH

Cancer

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the (a) incidence, (b) mortality rate and (c) survival rate for cancer among the (i) white and (ii) black and minority ethnic population was in each of the last five years for which information is available;
	(2)  what the five most prevalent types of cancer are in the (a) black Caribbean, (b) black African, (c) Indian, (d) Pakistani, (e) Bangladeshi and (f) Chinese ethnic groups;
	(3)  what the (a) incidence of, (b) mortality rates for and (c) survival rates for cancer were among the (i) black Caribbean, (ii) black African, (iii) Indian, (iv) Pakistani, (v) Bangladeshi and (vi) Chinese ethnic groups in England in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Melanie Johnson: The data item, ethnic origin, was introduced in 1993 when the cancer registration minimum data set was established by the Department. This is an optional item for collection and the data held are not complete. It is not, therefore, possible to provide data on cancer incidence and survival broken down by ethnicity.
	Cancer mortality data are not available broken down by ethnic group as ethnicity is not recorded as part of death registration.

Dentistry

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) adults and (b) children in (i) Leeds, (ii) Leeds, North-West and (iii) Otley are waiting to be registered with a NHS dentist.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not collected in the format requested. However, the tables show the numbers and percentages of adults and children in Leeds registered with a national health service dentist against the population numbers for each Leeds Primary Care Trust (PCT).
	
		Number of adult registrations as at 31 May 2004 and percentage of the population
		
			 Primary Care Trust Number registered at 31 May 2004 Population Percentage 
		
		
			 Leeds West 44,879 83,180 54.0 
			 Leeds North East 39,701 86,101 46.1 
			 East Leeds 61,884 121,553 50.9 
			 South Leeds 55,407 110,207 50.3 
			 Leeds North West 59,439 153,301 38.8 
		
	
	
		Number of child registrations as at 31 May 2004 and percentage of the population
		
			 Primary Care Trust Number registered at 31 May 2004 Population Percentage 
		
		
			 Leeds West 14,803 25,711 57.6 
			 Leeds North East 14,780 25,423 58.1 
			 East Leeds 21,979 41,204 53.3 
			 South Leeds 21,021 35,628 59.0 
			 Leeds North West 24,021 32,092 74.9 
		
	
	
		Number of registrations as a percentage of population for adults and children as at 31 May 2004
		
			 Primary Care Trust Adult Child Adult and child 
		
		
			 Leeds West 54.0 57.6 54.8 
			 Leeds North East 46.1 58.1 48.9 
			 East Leeds 50.9 53.3 51.5 
			 South Leeds 50.3 59.0 52.4 
			 Leeds North West 38.8 74.9 45.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health

Elder Abuse

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring has taken place of use of the helpline run by Action on Elder Abuse; and how many calls have been received in each year since its inception.

Stephen Ladyman: Action on Elder Abuse is an independent charity. Its published reports, "Hearing the Despair" and "Listening is Not Enough", contain details of calls made to its helpline. A third report, "Hidden Voices, Hidden Rights, Hidden People", will be published this summer and will contain an analysis of calls to the helpline.

Falls and Osteoporosis

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role strategic health authorities play in monitoring the integration of falls and osteoporosis services.

Stephen Ladyman: Strategic health authorities are the key link between the Department and the national health service. They ensure that national priorities, such as the development of falls services, are integrated into plans for the local health service. Their role is to ensure coherency and developing strategies for the local health service, ensure high quality performance of the local health service and its organisations, working towards improved performance, and to building capacity in the local health service.

Radioactivity (Public Health)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what countermeasures his Department recommends to protect public health in the event of (a) an incident similar to the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986 and (b) a terrorist attack on a nuclear installation which entailed the release of radioactive species to the environment.

Melanie Johnson: For many years, Government have required that nuclear installations have in place plans to deal with a release of radioactive material from those sites. These plans must be sufficiently flexible to account for much larger releases than might be expected from ordinary running conditions. Each plan is site specific and details are available from the operators of each installation.
	In 2002, the Department reviewed stocks of strategic materials that might be required by the national health service in the event of a terrorist attack on a major nuclear installation. For security reasons, details are not disclosed.

Schizophrenia

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) received regarding the links between cannabis and schizophrenia; and if he will place a copy of these studies in the Library.

Melanie Johnson: The Department commissioned and received the following research projects as part of the drug misuse policy research initiative, which funded £2.4 million research between 2000 and 2003.
	Long term heavy cannabis use: patterns and problems. Mr. Niall Coggans, Strathclyde Institute for Biomedical Sciences.
	A national epidemiological study of dually diagnosed substance misuse and psychiatric disorders between 1993–98, using the General Practice Research Database. Dr. Martin Frischer, Keele University.
	Co-morbidity in the National Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys. Dr. Michael Farrell, Dr. Colin Taylor, Institute of Psychiatry.
	Co-morbidity of substance misuse and mental health problems: a study of the prevalence and patterns of co-morbidity and the need for services among treatment populations. Mr. Tim Weaver, Imperial College School of Medicine.
	Dual Diagnosis in a Primary Care Group (PCG), (100,000 population locality): a step-by-step epidemiological needs assessment and design of a training and service response model. Dr. Geraldine Strathdee, Oxleas National Health Service Trust. In addition, the Department has recently commissioned, jointly with the Medical Research Council, a multi-site, randomised controlled trial: "Evaluating a psychological intervention for clients with schizophrenia and co-morbid substance abuse". Copies will be placed in the Library.
	The Department also monitors research in this area and has a range of expert advisers to inform policy.

Solvent Abuse

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died of solvent abuse in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: Statistics, collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School on behalf of the Department on the number of deaths by volatile substance abuse in the United Kingdom for the last available 10 years, are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1992 85 
			 1993 79 
			 1994 67 
			 1995 77 
			 1996 78 
			 1997 78 
			 1998 80 
			 1999 75 
			 2000 65 
			 2001 63 
		
	
	Source:
	St. George's Hospital Medical School: "16th Annual Report on Trends in Death Associated with Abuse of Volatile Substance 1971–2001—Key findings for 2001".

St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses were employed by the St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust in each year from 1997 to 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were carried out by the St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust in each year from 1997 to 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information is shown in the table.
	
		Finished consultant episodes: number of procedures carried out in St. Helens and Knowsley National Health Service Trust in England 1997–98 to 2002–03RBN St. Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust
		
			  Finished episodes 
		
		
			 1997–98 37,275 
			 1998–99 42,676 
			 1999–2000 41,764 
			 2000–01 42,336 
			 2001–02 43,585 
			 2002–03 40,087 
		
	
	Notes:
	Grossing—Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2001–02 and 2002–03, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	These figures represent a count of all mentions of an operation in any of the 12 (4 prior to 2002–03) operation fields in the HES data set. Therefore, if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field during an episode, all operations are counted.
	An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider.
	Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

WORK AND PENSIONS

Mr. Peter Beamish

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons Mr. Peter Beamish of Harbertonford, Devon was not advised by the social security office that he would not receive payments for working tax credit and child tax credit until April 2003; for what reasons Mr. Beamish was not advised to reapply for working families tax credit to cover the period January to March 2003; and for what reasons Mr. Beamish's application for special payment for a misdirection has been rejected.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 16 July 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question concerning the advice given to Mr. Peter Beamish by the social security office about tax credits. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Details of individual claims are confidential and I will write to you directly on the matter in question.
	This is in line with Part 2, paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Pensioner Income

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what median pensioner income is; and how many and what percentage of (a) individual pensioners and (b) pensioner households have an income below median pension income.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 21 June 2004, Official Report, column 1260W.

State Pension

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the level of expenditure on the basic state pension in financial years (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07 in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is the table.
	
		Basic State Pension Great Britain and Scotland -- £ million
		
			  Great Britain(1) Scotland 2 
		
		
			 2004–05 41,230 3,691 
			 2005–06 42,981 3,848 
			 2006–07 44,829 4,013 
		
	
	(1) Figures are for Great Britain and have been rounded to the nearest million and are consistent with the Comprehensive Spending Review 2004. Information for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.
	(2) Figures for Scotland are derived from information used to inform the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis, 2004, and are not explicitly forecast. The figures assume that the future proportion of expenditure on Basic State Pension is the same as that in 2002–03.

Unclaimed Assets

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to use unclaimed assets to boost the assistance he has offered those members of occupational pension schemes who will not be covered by the Pension Protection Fund.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Sayeed) on 5 July 2004, Official Report, columns 546–47.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Accounting Practice

Richard Bacon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs who the Finance Director of the (a) National Archives, (b) Land Registry, (c) Crown Office and (d) the Department is; what accountancy qualifications each Director holds; and whether there has been a qualified opinion on (i) the resource accounts and (ii) other accounts of each in the last five years.

David Lammy: The information is as follows:
	(a) The National Archives' Director of Strategy, Finance and Resources does not have formal accountancy qualifications. The Head of Financial Services, who reports to the Director, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
	(b) The Finance Director of Land Registry is Mrs. Heather Foster, who is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
	(c) Crown Office does not have a separate Director of Finance, and its financial management being administered by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
	(d) The Director General, Finance of the Department for Constitutional Affairs is Mr. Simon Ball, who is a qualified Associate Chartered Accountant and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
	(a), (b) There has been an unqualified opinion on accounts for the National Archives and the Land Registry in each of the last five years.
	(c), (d) The resource accounts for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 for the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which includes the Crown Office, were qualified. The accounts for 2001–02 and 2002–03 received an unqualified opinion. Accounts for 2003–04 will be published later in this year.

Environmental Court

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department's policy is on the establishment of an environmental court; and what representations have been received from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on this matter.

Christopher Leslie: The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) is concerned to ensure a high quality of justice in environmental matters. Establishing a dedicated environmental court or tribunal would require primary legislation as well as re-prioritisation of funding and resources within government. DCA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are working together on a wider review of environmental justice systems in England and Wales, and are considering evidence and arguments for and against a dedicated court in that context.

House Prices

Tony Clarke: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the percentage change in house prices in Northampton was in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Based on the average house prices in Northampton for each year, the percentage changes are:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1998–99 6.6 
			 1999–2000 19.0 
			 2000–01 13.5 
			 2001–02 15.6 
			 2002–03 16.7

House Prices

Adrian Flook: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the percentage change in house prices was in (a) Taunton Deane, (b) West Somerset and (c) Somerset in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Based on the average house prices in the three areas for each complete year, the percentage changes are:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Taunton Deane  
			 1998–99 8.5 
			 1999–2000 18.0 
			 2000–01 8.6 
			 2001–02 26.0 
			 2002–03 18.2 
			   
			 West Somerset  
			 1998–99 1.0 
			 1999–2000 13.0 
			 2000–01 19.0 
			 2001–02 21.0 
			 2002–03 22.0 
			   
			 Somerset  
			 1998–99 10.7 
			 1999–2000 16.7 
			 2000–01 10.8 
			 2001–02 22.3 
			 2002–03 17.5

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have been (a) established and (b) abolished since 1997.

David Lammy: Since 1997, 12 non-departmental public bodies have been established and seven have been abolished.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC Charter

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it a requirement of the BBC's Charter Renewal that it provide high quality, informative and educational programmes which promote family values.

Tessa Jowell: The Government have not reached any conclusions in the BBC Charter Review except that it will result in a strong BBC, independent of Government. My Department has already received a wide range of views in response to our initial open consultation. There will be further opportunities to debate the key issues, including the range and quality of BBC programmes, before the Government draw their conclusions in due course.

Tourism (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much revenue she estimates tourism generated for London in the last year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: Figures on tourism revenue in London are available for 2002 and these are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Type of tourism Expenditure in London in 2002 (£ million) 
		
		
			 International visits including an overnight stay 5,788 
			 Domestic visits including an overnight stay 2,818 
			 Domestic day visits(3) 3,690 
			 Total 12,296 
		
	
	(3) Domestic day visits expenditure figure is for the financial year 2002–03
	Sources:
	International Passenger Survey, UK Tourism Survey, GB Leisure Day Visits Survey

Tourism (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on promoting London as a tourist destination (a) within the UK and (b) internationally in 2003–04.

Richard Caborn: In 2003–04, the Department allocated £1.5 million for marketing London overseas in support of the Mayor's Tourism Strategy for London. This marketing was carried out by VisitLondon, whose net spending on campaigns, including funding from the GLA and the London Development Agency, was approximately £11 million in the domestic market and £5.8 million overseas.
	London tourism also benefited from the Department's grant-in-aid of £35.5 million to VisitBritain for the promotion of Britain overseas, and £10.4 million for the domestic marketing of England.

DEFENCE

Cadet Forces

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to ensure that each of the military cadet forces has full access to relevant military ranges and equipment.

Ivor Caplin: Although the regular and reserve forces must, of necessity, have priority access to military ranges and equipment, the cadet forces, particularly at this time of year when they undergo training at Annual Camps throughout the UK, utilise military ranges and equipments that are available and suitable. The administration of these resources is conducted by the relevant single Service.

D-Day Memorial Services

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which members of the Government attended the D-Day memorial services in Normandy.

Ivor Caplin: The commemorations in France to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the Normandy Campaign were attended by the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans. A number of other Parliamentarians and representatives of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly attended as guests of Her Majesty's Government.

Iraq

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) regiments and (b) other units have been identified with the arrest, transportation, disorientation and interrogation of prisoners in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: All British forces personnel in Iraq have the authority to detain and transport persons who pose a threat to safety or security. Prisoners are interrogated at the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility, only by individuals specifically trained for that task. Disorientation, as an interrogation technique, is not permitted and is prohibited by law.

Personnel Outflow

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 1483W, on Personnel Outflow, how many people discharged under code QR 9.411 were medically downgraded to P.7.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 13 July 2004
	Within the Regiments listed in my answer, none of those soldiers discharged under QR 9.411 was medically downgraded to P.7.

SERCO-Denholm

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the pension provision made for departmental staff transferred to SERCO-Denholm Ltd. under the Marine Services Market test of 1995; and if he will make a statement on the compliance of SERCO-Denholm with its obligations to those employees.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 30 June 2004
	The Ministry of Defence staff who transferred to SERCO-Denholm Ltd. following the Marine Services Market Test of 1995 were offered a pension scheme, which was certified by the Government Actuary's Department as being broadly comparable to the benefits offered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) at that time. SERCO-Denholm has complied fully with its obligations to staff in its Marine Services contract with the MOD.

Staff Cars

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the range of options of Grade A staff cars available to senior officers in the armed forces was in the years 2002 and 2003, giving the country of manufacture of each model; and what changes were made to the range of options in 2004.

Ivor Caplin: In the United Kingdom, the range of Grade A staff cars available in 2003 was as follows:
	
		United Kingdom—Range of available Grade A staff cars
		
			  Manufacturer/Model  Engine/Trim Country of manufacture 
		
		
			 Vauxhall   
			 Omega 2.5 litres Germany 
			 Omega 2.0 litres Germany 
			 Vectra 2.0 litres Germany 
			
			 Ford   
			 Mondeo 2.0 litres Belgium 
			
			 Rover   
			 75 Connoisseur SE United Kingdom 
			 75 CDT Club United Kingdom 
		
	
	The same range of vehicles were available in 2002. For 2004 a revised policy has been endorsed for the United Kingdom. The new policy reflects changes in the models available and offers a choice of models to Senior Officers:
	
		United Kingdom—Indicative car models(4)
		
			  Senior Officers/Type  Engine/Trim Country of manufacture 
		
		
			 Chief of Defence Staff 2   
			 Rover 75 Saloon (6)— UK 
			 Rover 75 Tourer (6)— UK 
			 Toyota Avensis Saloon 2.0 T Spirit UK 
			 Vauxhall Signum 3.0CDTi Elite Germany 
			 Vauxhall Signum 3.2 Elite Germany 
			
			 Members of Defence Council and Commanders in Chief 4 
			 Ford Mondeo Saloon 2.5 GhiaX Belgium 
			 Nissan Primera Saloon 2.0 SVE UK 
			 Rover 75 Saloon (6)— UK 
			 Toyota Avensis Saloon 2.0 T4 UK 
			 Vauxhall Signum 2.2 Elite Germany 
			 Vauxhall Vectra Saloon 2.2 Elite Germany 
			
			 4*/3*/2* Officers   
			 Ford Mondeo Saloon 2.0 Zetec Belgium 
			 Nissan Primera Saloon 2.2 SE UK 
			 Rover 75 Saloon (6)— UK 
			 Rover 75 Saloon (6)— UK 
			 Toyota Avensis Saloon 2.0 T3x UK 
			 Vauxhall Signum 2.0 Design Germany 
			 Vauxhall Vectra Saloon 2.2 Design Germany 
		
	
	(4) Provided by the UK White Fleet contractor. The specification is by size rather than make.
	(5) Also available to Secretary of State and Permanent Under-Secretary.
	(6) Details not currently available due to changes to the range.
	(7) Available to both military and civilian members of the Defence Council.
	For Germany the position is as follows:
	
		Germany
		
			  Manufacturer/Model  Engine/Trim Country of manufacture 
		
		
			 Range of available Grade A staff cars: 2002 and 2003 
			 Opel   
			 Omega 2.0 litres Germany 
			
			 VW   
			 Passat 2.3 litres Germany 
			
			 Range of available staff cars: 2004 
			 Opel   
			 Signum(8) 3.0 litres Germany 
			
			 Audi   
			 A4(8) 2.5 litres Germany 
		
	
	(8) Model changes following contract re-let and manufacturer's changes to range.

Territorial Army

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army have not yet received their annual bounty due on 1 April.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 June 2004, Official Report, column 215W, to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol Promotions

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of sales promotions and volume special offers of alcoholic drinks in licensed premises on levels of alcohol consumption by customers; and if he will hold discussions with the alcohol industry to curb excessive promotions.

Caroline Flint: We are currently holding discussions with the alcohol industry about clamping down on irresponsible promotions. This will be an important component of the social responsibility schemes that we are drawing up together with the industry in line with the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England recommendations.

Asylum/Immigration

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued to police forces in relation to the holding of immigration detainees in police cells; and if he will place copies in the Library.

Hazel Blears: Under the Immigration Act 1971, a police station is a designated place of detention. The provisions of the Code of Practice for the detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers (Code C) issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 do not apply to people whose detention is authorised by an immigration officer under the 1971 Act.
	However, Code C requires that persons detained at police stations on behalf of the Immigration Service are subject to periodic review as a matter of good practice. The purpose of such reviews is to check the particular power under which a detainee is held continues to apply, any associated conditions are complied with and to make sure appropriate action is taken to deal with any changes.

Avon and Somerset Police

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants his Department has provided to Avon and Somerset Police Force in each financial year since 2001.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 General police grants(9) (10)148.7 152.3 157.1 162.2 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 2.7 4.4 5.3 5.7 
			 Rural Policing Fund 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 
			 Airwave 6.5 0 0.5 0.3 
			 DNA Expansion Programme 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 
			 Capital grant(11) 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.4 
			 National Intelligence Model 0.3 0 0.1 0.1 
			 Air Support Grant 0.7 0 0 0 
			 Recovered Assets Fund 0 1.0 0 0 
			 Premises Improvement Fund 0 0.5 0.4 0 
			 Intensive Supervision and Monitoring Scheme 0 0.02 0.03 0.04 
			 Street Crime Initiative 0 2.3 1.2 1.2 
			 Community Support Officers 0 0.2 0.6 (13)0.7 
			 Strategy for a Healthy Police 0 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Police Standards Unit support 0 0.07 0.3 0.05 
			 Criminal Justice Interventions Programme—Drug Testing(12) 0 0.07 0.2 0.4 
			 CJIP—Arrest Referral(12) 0 0.2 0.4 0.4 
			 Fixed Penalty Notices for Disorder—IT support 0 0 0.1 0 
			 Video Facilities Fund 0 0 0.02 0 
			 J Track Funding (IT tracking persistent offenders) 0 0 0.03 0 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund 0 0 1.8 1.8 
			 Special Priority Payments 0 0 0.9 (12)0.9 
			 Crime Reduction Funding (directly to the force) 1.6 0.1 0 0 
			 Total(13) 165.0 166.0 174.0 179.2 
		
	
	(9) General police grants include principal Home Office police grant and ODPM Revenue Support Grant and National Non Domestic Rates.
	(10) General Police grant figures for 2001–02 were not directly comparable with 2002–03 due to the change in funding arrangements for NCS and NCIS (transferred from local to central funding). The actual figure for 2001–02 was £152.6 million. A notionally adjusted figure for 2001–02, £148.7 million, is included for comparability with later years.
	(11) Capital grant figures only. Police authorities also received revenue support grant associated with Supplementary Credit Approvals—now Supplementary Credit Expenditure (Revenue).
	(12) Estimates for 2004–05.
	(13) Rounded to one decimal point.
	Avon and Somerset Constabulary has also been allocated ring-fenced grant in 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 for counter-terrorism purposes.
	As a statutory member of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) within the Avon and Somerset area, the police authority can draw upon strategic funding for crime reduction paid to CDRPs, such as the Building Safer Communities Fund. This funding amounted to £1.4 million in 2001–02, £3.1 million in 2002–03, £2.1 million in 2003–04 and £2.4 million in 2004–05.

Bichard Inquiry Report

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to respond to the criticisms of the Home Office contained within the Bichard Inquiry Report; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: holding answer 1 July 2004
	I made a full statement to Parliament on 22 June setting out my first response to the Bichard Report. I take the report's findings very seriously and accept its conclusion that many organisations and individuals share the responsibility for failures in information handling including, in part, the Home Office. All Government Departments with responsibilities under the report are developing urgently a programme for addressing its findings and implementing its recommendations. The Home Office will co-ordinate this programme of work.
	In particular, I have announced the planned introduction of the first National Police Intelligence Computer system, entitled 'IMPACT', which will ensure that all police forces use the same system to manage and share intelligence information. I have also undertaken, in partnership with tripartite stakeholders, to develop a statutory code of practice on police information handling, to be introduced by the end of this year, which will require all forces to deal with intelligence information in the same way.

CCTV

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were available for CCTV in each of the last five years for the Essex constabulary area.

Hazel Blears: Funding for CCTV in the Essex police force area, in the last five years, was made available from the following funding streams:
	
		£
		
			 Funding streams Amount 
		
		
			 2000–01  
			 Crime Reduction Programme 757,470 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Crime Reduction Programme 1,107,131 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Crime Reduction Programme 485,608 
			 Safer Communities Initiative 26,900 
			 Communities Against Drugs 57,000 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 Building Safer Communities Fund 78,106 
			   
			 2004–05  
			 Building Safer Communities Fund 84,500

Licensing Hours (Policing Costs)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of changes in the cost of policing arising from proposals to extend licensing hours.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment, published with the Licensing Bill when it was delivered to the House of Commons in March 2003 estimated that the impact on the police of the provisions, when fully implemented, would be largely cost neutral. This estimate had particular regard to the effect of flexible opening hours.

Street Crime (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is being spent on the prevention of street crime in London in 2004–05.

Hazel Blears: In addition to its funding through the police grant, the Metropolitan Police Service has been allocated £11,008,000 for operations against street crime in 2004–05.

TREASURY

Child Tax Credit

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mistakes have been made in payment to people who have applied for child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	Tax credits continue to play a key part in meeting the Government's objectives to abolish child poverty and make work pay, and 6.0 million families are benefiting from them (as at 5 April 2004.)
	Where mistakes are made, the Inland Revenue makes every effort to put them right as quickly as possible.

European Union (UK Employment)

George Foulkes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of jobs in each region of the UK (a) directly and (b) indirectly dependent on trade with the European Union.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury estimates that 3 million jobs in the UK are linked, directly and indirectly, to the export of goods and services to the European Union. This figure is based on the assumption that the share of total UK employment associated with UK exports to the EU is equal to the share of total UK value added (GVA) generated by UK exports to the EU. The information necessary to apply the same method to derive comparable estimates for each region of the UK is not available.

Parliamentary Answers

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 836W, on trade (endangered species), if he will break down the information provided by species; and whether animals which have died in transit are included in the figures.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise seized specimens from approximately 400 genera or species in the years 2001 to 2003. I am arranging for a full list to be placed in the Library of the House.
	Customs seizure records include any that are found to be dead at the times of seizure.

Parliamentary Answers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 8 July 2004, Official Report, column 816W, what representations he has made to the European Commission about the extension of the derogation relating to red diesel.

John Healey: The derogation is due to expire on 31 December 2006. We will be considering the UK's position before then, including views expressed by stakeholders and in light of all relevant social, environmental and economic factors.

Pension Contributions (Tax Relief)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of tax relief on pension contributions to be provided in financial years (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07 in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland.

Dawn Primarolo: The information in the format requested is not available. Available estimates of the cost of tax relief for private pensions in the UK are published in table 7.9 of Inland Revenue Statistics. The latest version is on the Inland Revenue website: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/pensions/table7 9.pdf
	These estimates are due to be updated in September 2004 and will cover financial years 1998–99 to 2003–04.

Pension-age Taxpayers (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many state retirement pension age taxpayers there were in Scotland in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02, broken down by constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: It would be possible to provide a reliable answer only at disproportionate cost.

Tax System

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent research his Department has evaluated relating to reform of the taxation system.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to developing the evidence base to help inform future policies. Tax measures are informed by in house research and analysis or, in some cases, research commissioned from consultants and academics. The Government also maintains good links with academics, researchers, research institutes and research councils working on tax policy and delivery in this and other countries and carefully consider their work and its relevance for us in the policy development process.
	Recent research that has been published can be found on the relevant departmental website.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Brazil

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government are giving to the Government of Brazil to alleviate poverty.

Hilary Benn: In 2004–05 DFID will provide £4.45 million through its bilateral programme in Brazil. This concentrates on four of the poorest states in the North and North East. Its principal aims are to enable poor people to benefit from economic development, and to make public service allocation and delivery more responsive to the needs of poor people.
	DFID provides about £12 million a year to Brazil through its share of the activities of the European Commission and United Nations agencies. In addition, the UK is a shareholder of the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank which both lend about $1.5 billion a year to Brazil.
	DFID also supports non-governmental organisations working in Brazil. Under DFID's Civil Society Challenge Fund, we are providing £204,000 in 2004–05 for activities in Brazil. From 2005 onwards DFID will be providing £7 million for the Latin America and Caribbean region through major UK based NGOs through our Partnership Programme Agreements. A number of these organisations currently support activities in Brazil.

Departmental Publications (Storage)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many departmental publications are in storage; and where they are located.

Hilary Benn: DFID currently has some 630,000 publications in stock. These include a range of Assistance Plans, Strategies, Reports and Evaluations totalling 1,500 titles.
	An average of 18,000 publications are sent out each month. They are stored at EC Logistics in Sevenoaks, Kent.

EU Markets

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received from officials in less developed countries regarding opening up European Union markets to assist development.

Hilary Benn: I speak regularly with many developing country Ministers and officials, including on trade. Many of them have formed alliances and come together to agree common positions on trade, for example under the G90 banner, which comprises members of the Africa Union, the group of African Caribbean and Pacific Countries, and the group of Least Developed Countries. Their position on agriculture for example, as set out during a recent meeting they held in Guyana, is that they want progress in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on the three key issues of reducing export subsidies, reducing trade distorting domestic subsidies, and increasing market access for developing country exports.
	They recognise however that increasing market access through general tariff reductions will have an impact on those developing countries that benefit from trade preferences—the problem of so-called preference erosion. The main focus now is on the WTO General Council that will meet at the end of July in Geneva, where I hope a satisfactory agreement will be reached to provide a framework for more detailed negotiations later in the year.

PFI/PPP Contracts

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts have been let by his Department in each financial year since 2001–02 to (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte and Touche, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young for advising his Department on private finance initiative and public-private partnership contracts; and what fees were paid in each case.

Hilary Benn: DFID has let no contracts since 2001–02 to these consultants for advice on private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts. DFID issued an earlier contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers for advice on tax matters relating to CDC (formerly known as the Commonwealth Development Corporation) and paid fees of £87,000 in FY 2001–02 and £74,000 in FY 2002–03.
	CDC, which is wholly owned by DFID but has its own board and management and takes its own operational decisions, has engaged some of these consultants to advise on its reorganisation as follows.
	
		
			 Financial year Consultant Fees paid (£) 
		
		
			 2001 None — 
			 2002 KPMG 200,000 
			 2003 KPMG 1,120,000 
			 2003 Ernst and Young 17,000 
			 2004 KPMG 21,000 
			 2004 Deloitte and Touche 3,000 
		
	
	Ernst and Young are also the CDC's auditors.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Local Government Minister next plans to meet local government representatives to discuss council tax.

Nick Raynsford: I meet local government representatives regularly to discuss local government finance matters including council tax.

Government Estate (Sustainable Development)

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the non-office sites within the departmental estate which have been identified as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister initially identified the following non-office sites as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings:
	The Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
	The Queen Elizabeth the Second Conference Centre, London.
	Since the inception of the Sustainable Development in Government initiative, the Fire Service College's non-training water usage has been reduced by 28 per cent. per annum. However, due primarily to the increased business use of the QEII, water usage of the centre has risen by 13 per cent. Initiatives are planned to further reduce consumption.
	Since November 2002, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has monitored Department's performance against the Framework targets in the annual Sustainable Development in Government reports (http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/sdig/reports/index. htm). The Second Annual report, published in November 2003, contains data based on the financial year April 2002 to March 2003. Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Housing

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent research he has evaluated on the demand for social housing in (a) Taunton Deane and (b) the South West of England; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: It is the responsibility of Taunton Deane and other housing authorities to ensure that the provision of affordable housing is made on the basis of robust local assessments of needs. A demonstrable lack of affordable housing to meet local needs is a material planning consideration, which should be taken into account in formulating development plan policies and in deciding planning applications involving housing. Government have issued guidance on how to undertake local housing needs and market assessments.
	Taunton Deane borough council conducted a housing needs survey to underpin the Stock Option Appraisal which it is presently conducting in order to meet the Government's decent homes standard by 2010. Somerset local authorities are also working together to produce a countywide housing needs assessment which should provide a fuller picture of the need for social and affordable housing in Somerset.

Housing

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the new entrants onto the housing list in the last 12 months in (a) Taunton Deane and (b) West Somerset were registered outside (i) Somerset and (ii) counties in South West England.

Keith Hill: This information is not held centrally; and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Tony Clarke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change in housing waiting lists held by Northampton borough council was in each of the last five years.

Keith Hill: Information on the percentage change in the housing waiting lists held by Northampton borough council is tabled as follows:
	
		Percentage increase from previous year in the housing register at 1 April
		
			  Northampton (%) 
		
		
			 1999 30 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 13 
			 2002 -14 
			 2003 16 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM's Housing Investment Programme returns

Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change in housing waiting lists held by Portsmouth City Council was in each of the last five years.

Keith Hill: Information on the percentage change in the housing waiting lists held by Portsmouth City Council is tabled as follows.
	
		Percentage increase from previous year in the housing register at 1 April
		
			  Portsmouth (%) 
		
		
			 1999 12 
			 2000 -8 
			 2001 10 
			 2002 -1 
			 2003 15 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM's Housing Investment Programme returns

Local Government

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce the results of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment for English district local authorities.

Nick Raynsford: The Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) for district councils is being carried out on a county-by-county basis over an 18-month period and began in 2003. Results for over half of all the 238 district councils in England have been published by the Audit Commission and are available on their website at: www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa/ These include councils in the counties of:
	Buckinghamshire
	Cheshire
	Cumbria
	Derbyshire
	Devon
	Dorset
	Durham
	East Lancashire
	East Sussex
	Essex
	Hampshire
	Hertfordshire
	Lincolnshire
	Norfolk
	North Yorkshire
	Northamptonshire
	Northumberland
	Nottinghamshire
	Oxfordshire
	Staffordshire
	Surrey
	West Lancashire
	West Sussex
	Wiltshire
	Results have also been announced for the five Pathfinder councils (Ashford, Cambridge City, Canterbury, Ipswich and Wychavon). Results for district councils in Somerset are due to be published by the Audit Commission on 16 September. By December 2004, results for all 238 district councils will have been published.

Local Government

Chris Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue support grant was made available in the London Borough of Islington in each year since 1997; and what the projected amounts for future years are.

Nick Raynsford: The following table shows formula grant, which is the sum of revenue support grant (RSG) and redistributed business rates (NNDR), over the period 1997–98 to 2004–05. 2004–05 is the latest .year for which formula grant is available. Formula grant is currently approved by Parliament on an annual basis; the provisional 2005–06 amounts will be announced in mid-November. There are no projections available.
	It is not appropriate to compare the amounts of RSG alone year-on-year since the level of RSG is partially determined by the amount of NNDR an authority receives for that year. Also it is not appropriate to compare formula grant year-on-year without first making adjustments for changes in funding and function. The following table therefore also provides the adjusted formula grant amounts where appropriate to enable a like-for-like comparison. For convenience the change in formula grant, expressed both in £ million and as a percentage have also been provided.
	
		
			  Revenue support grant (£ million) Redistributed business rates (£ million) Formula grant (£ million) Change on previous year on a like-for-like basis (£ million) Percentage change on previous year on a like-for-like basis (percentage) 
		
		
			 1997–98 142.351349 38.100485 180.451834 — — 
			 Adjusted 1997–98 — — 184.333293 — — 
			 1998–99 141.389688 40.061813 181.451501 -2.881792 -1.6 
			 1999–2000 143.335665 43.610078 186.945743 5.494242 3.0 
			 Adjusted 1999–2000 — — 186.727705 — — 
			 2000–01 146.390405 49.674393 196.064798 9.337093 5.0 
			 Adjusted 2000–01 — — 193.478402 — — 
			 2001–02 151.852882 47.816829 199.669711 6.191309 3.2 
			 Adjusted 2001–02 — — 196.089862 — — 
			 2002–03 151.140641 52.792816 203.933457 7.843594 4.0 
			 Adjusted 2002–03 — — 207.718810 — — 
			 2003–04 165.376743 51.557601 216.934344 9.215534 4.4 
			 Adjusted 2003–04 — — 219.371955 — — 
			 2004–05 180.530617 50.565707 231.096324 11.724369 5.3

Local Government

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to give his response to the recommendations of the Boundary Committee on local government reorganisation in the two tier areas of the northern regions.

Nick Raynsford: On 8 July the Government announced their decision as to the local government reorganisation options that will be put to voters in a referendum. After careful consideration, the Government are putting forward the reorganisation recommendations presented by the Boundary Committee on 25 May. The only exception is a minor modification to Option B for Cumbria and Lancashire so that the whole of Ormskirk is placed in the proposed local authority of Sefton and West Lancashire.

Overhanging Debt

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the value of payments made to pay off overhanging debt was in 2003–04.

Keith Hill: Payments to meet local authorities' overhanging debt are made where the receipt to the authority from a housing stock transfer to a registered social landlord is less than a local authority's associated housing debt. £90.9 million was paid in 2003–04. The payment reflects the liability the Office would otherwise have to pay continuing subsidy on a local authority's housing attributable debt. It is not possible to use this resource for capital purposes.

Right to Buy Scheme

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the value of discounts provided under the right to buy scheme was in 2003–04.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not currently available, but it will be available in the near future. I will write to the hon. Member.

Social Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to facilitate an increase in the number of housing units available for rent by (a) the local authority and (b) housing associations in Portsmouth.

Keith Hill: As part of the recent spending review the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has secured extra resources to deliver the Sustainable Communities agenda including funding for 50 per cent. increase in the number of new social rented homes between now and 2007–08.
	It will be for the Regional Housing Boards, as part of their work of developing housing strategies for their region, to advise Ministers how these extra resources should be spent.

Social Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the demand for social housing in (i) Portsmouth and (ii) the South East of England; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The South East Regional Housing Board have commissioned research on:
	an assessment of South East housing markets at a sub-regional level;
	developing an Evidence Base for the Regional Housing Strategy;
	analysis of Housing Strategy Statements and Business Plans in the South East.
	This research will inform the production of the next Regional Housing Strategy.

Social Housing

Harold Best: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of social housing units built in Leeds, North West since 1 May 1997.

Keith Hill: Estimates of houses built by parliamentary constituency are not available centrally.
	Based on data reported by Leeds council and the National House-Building Council. 1,517 registered social landlord and council dwellings have been built within Leeds since 1 April 1997.

South-west Urban Areas

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the South West of England was classed as urban area (a) 30 years ago, (b) 10 years ago, (c) five years ago and (d) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Keith Hill: The following information is available for land area designated for urban settlements with an associated population of 1,000 or more in the South West of England:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1981 4.0 
			 1991 4.3 
			 2001 4.9 
		
	
	These figures relate to built-up areas, irrespective of administrative boundaries.

Urban Areas

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the South East of England was classed as urban area (a) 30 years ago, (b) 10 years ago, (c) five years ago and (a) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Keith Hill: The following information is available for land area designated for urban settlements with an associated population of 1,000 or more in the South East of England:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1981 9.4 
			 1991 10.0 
			 2001 10.7 
		
	
	These figures relate to built-up areas, irrespective of administrative boundaries.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education Spending

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much, at today's prices was spent on under-five education in each of the last 25 years; and what the planned spending is in each of the next five years.

David Miliband: The Department does not produce precise forecasts of future expenditure and we are therefore unable to provide the planned spend figures requested.
	The total spend in real terms at 2003–04 prices on under-five education by central and local government in England is available over the last 10 years and is contained within the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Estimated outturn  
			 2003–04 3,532 
			   
			 Provisional outturn  
			 2002–03 3,136 
			   
			 Outturn  
			 2001–02 3,090 
			 2000–01 2,568 
			 1999–2000 2,292 
			 1998–99 2,063 
			 1997–98(14) 2,028 
			 1996–97(14) 1,918 
			 1995–96(14) 1,879 
			 1994–95(14) 1,857 
		
	
	(14) Central Government figures for 1997–98 to 1994–95 are cash-based.
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure figures for 1998–99 onwards are resource-based.
	2. The 2003–04 figure reflects the transfer, apportioned to under-five education, of £640 million in respect of teachers' pensions, previously funded through Annually Managed Expenditure, to take account of a change in the method of financing employers'.
	3. Figures are in real terms at 2003–04 prices, using GDP Deflators as at 30 June 2004.

FE Colleges

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 14 to 16-year-olds in the Devon and Cornwall Learning Skills Council region he expects to attend a further education college in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2006–07; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such provision in each area.

Charles Clarke: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Five-year Strategy

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the statement of 8 July 2004, Official Report, column 1021, on Education and Skills (Five-Year Strategy), with whom he is discussing such a code; when he expects the code to be announced; if he will publish (a) representations he receives on the code and (b) the Government's responses; and when the code will be implemented.

David Miliband: Section 84 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provides for the Secretary of State to issue a Code of Practice on school admissions, and to make revisions to that Code as necessary. Any such Code is subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Code of Practice on School Admissions was issued in April 1999; the Code of Practice on Admission Appeals was issued in September 1999. Both were amended in light of the Education Act 2002 and reissued in February 2003. In each case the Codes were subject to wide consultation with LEAs, schools, and other interested bodies, including faith organisations.

Learning and Skills Council (London East)

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of 14 to 16-year-olds in the London East Learning and Skills Council region who will study in a further education college in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such provision in each area.

Alan Johnson: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Maintenance Grant

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the cost of the maintenance grant payable to poorer students in the current financial year.

Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Grant is being introduced for new students starting in the 2004/05 academic year. The cost in the 2004–05 financial year has been estimated at between £63-£75 million, depending on the actual number of students entering HE and their precise income distribution.

Natural Environment

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has to create more opportunities for primary school children to explore the natural environment;
	(2)  what plans he has to widen opportunities beyond the classroom for secondary school children to improve their understanding of the natural environment.

Stephen Twigg: Out of classroom learning is already a part of both the primary and secondary cycle of a child's education. In England, the Geography programmes of study at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 include a requirement for all pupils to carry out fieldwork investigations outside the classroom. Opportunities for outdoor learning also exist across the curriculum, in particular in Science, and we are encouraging all schools to take them up.
	In order to help build confidence and competence in teachers, we have funded the Field Studies Council in association with the Geographical Association, the Association of Science Education and the Open University to develop a professional development unit for geography and science teachers. From autumn, complementary courses will be offered through the new national network of Science Learning Centres across England, specifically for science teachers. Lastly, our Growing Schools programme, which has engaged over 12,000 English schools so far, supports teachers with educating pupils about food cultivation, farming, and understanding the natural environment, as well how to use the outdoors for teaching subjects across the curriculum for pupils of all ages.

Open University

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been transferred to the Department from Northern Ireland block expenditure to finance Open University courses for students resident in Northern Ireland.

Alan Johnson: No such transfer of funds has been made in the current financial year.

School Finance

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the projected budget for schools in England in 2005–06 will go to (a) primary and (b) secondary education.

David Miliband: The Department for Education and Skills do not fund schools directly. Funding is provided to local education authorities through general revenue support grant. They decide how much to spend on education and, within that, how much to spend on education for primary aged pupils and how much for education for secondary aged education. These decisions are subject to delivering a minimum funding guarantee to each school of 4 per cent. for secondary schools and 5 per cent. for primary schools in 2005–06.

Teachers' Duties

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of the time teachers spend outside the classroom conducting activities essential to their work.

David Miliband: This latest available information comes from the "2003 Teachers' Workload Diary Survey" which was conducted by the Office of Manpower Economics for the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) during the second week of March 2003.
	This estimated that primary classroom teachers in the maintained school sector spent on average 65 per cent. of their time on activities other than teaching and secondary classroom teachers spent 64 per cent.
	The following table provides a more detailed breakdown of how full-time primary and secondary full-time classroom teachers in English and Welsh maintained schools spent their time.
	
		
			  Primary Secondary 
			  Hours Percentage Hours Percentage 
		
		
			 Teaching 17.6 35 18.0 36 
			 Continuous Professional Development 2.0 4 1.2 2 
			 Preparation, Planning, Assessment 13.0 26 14.9 30 
			 Non-Teaching Contact 6.0 12 7.5 15 
			 Admin Activities 6.9 14 4.4 9 
			 Management Activities 3.7 7 2.7 5 
			 Other 1.5 3 1.2 2 
			 Total time 50.6 100 49.8 100 
		
	
	Source:
	2003 OME Workload Diary Survey.
	Since the 2003 OME survey was carried out, the September 2003 contractual changes have been implemented to teachers contracts. These changes saw the transfer of some administrative, clerical and managerial work previously undertaken by teachers to trained support staff in schools, thus allowing teachers to focus more on their core professional responsibilities and other activities needed to discharge their professional duties effectively.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the current year's poppy harvest in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation and production in Afghanistan. The most recent survey, published in October 2003, showed that the level of opium cultivation in 2003 was 80,000 hectares and production was 3,600 tonnes. The UNODC is in the process of assessing the 2004 harvest in conjunction with the Afghan Government. Its report will be published in the autumn. We expect to see a rise in levels of cultivation. This is unwelcome but experience of counter-narcotic policies in Pakistan and Thailand, which both had much lower initial levels of production and were more stable countries, shows that cultivation tends to increase before declining. In my response to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (David Cairns) on 9 June 2004, Official Report, columns124–27WH, I set out the action in hand to tackle drugs in Afghanistan and made clear that the UK, as lead nation, remains committed to supporting the Afghan Government in its strategy to eliminate opium production from its country.

Afghanistan

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK is giving Afghanistan to develop internal stability.

Mike O'Brien: The UK is at the forefront of efforts to expand the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) across Afghanistan through additional Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). We lead two PRTs and a Forward Support Base in northern Afghanistan. PRTs aim to help improve security in the regions and extend the authority of central Government. The UK also provides over 300 troops to the ISAF mission in Kabul, which continues to help maintain stability in the capital.
	The UK remains committed to helping the Afghan Government provide for its own security. We have £18 million available for Security Sector Reform this financial year, in addition to over £23 million provided since 2002. We provide assistance in areas such as the establishment of a multi-ethnic National Army within a civilian-led Ministry of Defence; reform of the police force; reform of the judiciary; and the demobilisation and disarmament of militias. The UK is also providing a £6.7 million program of support over three years to the Presidential Office of National Security.
	In addition, the UK co-ordinates international efforts to develop and deliver international counter narcotics-assistance in Afghanistan. We have committed over £70 million over three years to support implementation of Afghanistan's National Drug Control strategy and we now have 10 staff in Kabul dedicated to counter-narcotics issues.

Afghanistan

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the security situation in Afghanistan.

Mike O'Brien: Security remains fragile throughout Afghanistan. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) continues to help the Afghan authorities maintain security in Kabul and its environs. ISAF is now expanding to the north, which is subject to long-standing tensions between regional factions but is generally stable. The UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Mazar-e Sharif and Meymana have transferred to ISAF authority and continue to help defuse tensions in the region. The New Zealand-led PRT in Bamian and the coalition PRT in Oruzgan are helping to maintain stability in central areas. There tend to be fewer security incidents in the west but units of the Afghan National Army (ANA) have deployed to Herat and Ghowr in recent months in response to violent incidents.
	Security in the south and east is more worrying, with attacks resulting in the murder of international and Afghan aid workers and officials. Seven PRTs have been established in southern and eastern provinces to help improve the security environment. Coalition forces and units of the ANA continue to pursue terrorists in these areas.
	Attempts by remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaeda to disrupt and undermine the democratic process are likely to increase as the elections approach. The UN, ISAF and the Coalition are working closely with the Afghan government on providing a stable and secure environment for the elections.

Amicus Briefs

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list overseas legal proceedings in which amicus briefs have been filed on behalf of the United Kingdom in the last 10 years.

Jack Straw: During the last 12 months, the Government have submitted amicus briefs, either alone or with other Governments, in four cases in the United States courts; these were:
	Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain (concerning the Alien Tort Statute);
	F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Others v. Empagran S. A. (concerning the extraterritorial extent of anti-trust legislation);
	Krishna Maharaj (concerning a failure to notify a consul of the arrest of a national); and
	Christopher Simmons (concerning the imposition of the death penalty upon a person who was a juvenile).
	To research the cases for the previous years would incur disproportionate costs.

Amicus Briefs

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he applies when deciding whether to file an amicus brief in overseas legal proceedings.

Jack Straw: A decision on whether to file an amicus brief is taken in the light of all the circumstances, and particularly the United Kingdom's overall national interest.

British Indian Ocean Territories

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has held with the Government of Mauritius concerning its claim for sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territories; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 15 July 2004
	There have been no recent meetings between the two Governments on this issue. However, both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I offered discussion of this issue with Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Berenger during his recent visit to the UK.
	The British Government do not recognise the claim by Mauritius to sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory. However, we have recognised Mauritius as the only state which has a right to assert a claim of sovereignty when the United Kingdom relinquishes it own sovereignty, and successive British Governments have given undertakings to the Government of Mauritius that the Territory will be ceded when no longer required for defence purposes subject to the requirements of international law.

Burma

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to engage the Government of Burma on developing democracy in that country.

Mike O'Brien: The Government have been at the forefront of efforts over many years to promote political reform in Burma. We remain willing to support a genuine process of national reconciliation, leading to the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights and are ready to respond positively to tangible progress on the ground. This position has repeatedly been made clear to the regime, most recently when I met the Burmese Ambassador on 1 June.
	Also I regularly discuss Burma with my Asian colleagues to encourage them to press the regime to move ahead with the political process. In particular I last spoke to the Thai Foreign Minister about Burma on 29 June.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the consequences for Gibraltar's status of the proposed European Constitution.

Denis MacShane: The new Constitutional Treaty preserves Gibraltar's existing EU status.

Iraq

Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the instruments of the transfer of sovereignty from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the interim Government of Iraq.

Bill Rammell: On 28 June Ambassador Paul Bremer, the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, handed over a letter to Judge Midhat Mahmoud and Prime Minister Allawi. This letter sealed the transfer of authority from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the Interim Iraqi Government.
	I will place a copy of the letter in the Library of both Houses.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate has been made of income from oil resources in Iraq not accounted for over the period since the commencement of the occupation due to the lack, or inadequacy, of metering; who has been responsible for such metering; who is responsible for it now; who has gained from the improper accounting; what proposals are in hand to rectify the problem, over what timescale; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) on 7 July 2004, Official Report, column 765W. There is no reason to believe that income remains unaccounted for from the export of Iraq's oil during the occupation. During the Coalition's tenure all revenue from the sale of Iraq's oil was paid into the Development Fund for Iraq (DPI), which was established pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483 of 22 May 2003. As of 24 June 2004, the last date of oil sales before the handover of authority on 28 June, total proceeds from Iraq's oil exports to the DPI were US$ 11.1 billion.
	The Coalition Provisional Authority oil team had been pressing the Iraqi Ministry of Oil for meters to be installed as a matter of urgency, but at the handover of authority the issue remained outstanding. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil now has full responsibility for ensuring meters are installed on Iraq's oil wellheads.

Iraq

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) UK, (b) US and (c) other nationals are attached to the Iraq Survey Group; and when it is expected to complete its work.

Denis MacShane: As of the end of June, the numbers of personnel attached to the Iraq Survey Group were (a) 54 UK personnel; (b) 1,722 US personnel; and (c) 11 personnel of other nationalities.
	There is no set deadline for completion of the Iraq Survey Group's task.

Iraq

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Administration on child prisoners held in Abu Ghraib prison.

Bill Rammell: We have regular discussions with the US during which a wide variety of issues concerning Iraq are discussed. It is not our practice to make public the detail of these discussions under exemption 1(b) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Iraq

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what access UNICEF has to child prisoners in prisons in Iraq under the control of Coalition forces.

Bill Rammell: UNICEF does not have access to those detained by Coalition forces in Iraq including those under the age of 18. This is the responsibility of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Iraq

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what prison facilities in Iraq under the control of Coalition forces are solely for child prisoners.

Bill Rammell: There are no facilities in Iraq under the control of Coalition forces that are solely for prisoners under the age of 18. However, prisoners under the age of 18 are separated from adult prisoners, unless they are housed with family members.

Israel

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the Israeli Supreme Court's decision relating to the positioning of the wall.

Bill Rammell: We are aware of the recent decision by the Israeli High Court to rule in favour of Palestinian petitioners who brought a case against confiscation orders issued by the Israeli Defence Force for a 30 kilometre stretch of land to be used for the construction of the barrier around Jerusalem. While we have always acknowledged Israel's legitimate security concerns, we have consistently made clear to the Israeli government our opposition to the building of the barrier on Occupied Territory, on legal and humanitarian grounds.

Languages

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom languages he intends to propose as Union languages under the terms of Article 2 of the European Constitution treaty.

Denis MacShane: There is no provision to nominate Union languages under Article 2 of the European Constitutional Treaty. Article IV-10 paragraph 2 entitles member states to translate the Treaty into languages that are officially recognised in all or part of their territory, and place a copy of this translation in the archives of the Council. The Government will consider into which languages it will translate the Treaty nearer the time of the publication of an official version of the Treaty.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have been (a) established and (b) abolished since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Since 2000, no new non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have been established or abolished. Full details dating from 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	We have relinquished responsibility for, but not abolished, the following two NDPBs:
	The Commonwealth Institute, which became an independent limited company in December 1999;
	Britain Russia Centre, which ceased to be an NDPB and stopped receiving public money in April 2003. The centre still operates under the name Britain-Russia Centre/British East West Centre.

Russia

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Russia to discuss UK-Russian trade relations.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Moscow on 7 July. During his visit he discussed a range of bilateral and international issues with the Russian Government, but UK-Russian trade relationships were not on the agenda. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Hewitt) discussed the bilateral trade relationship when she visited Moscow from 24–25 June.

Vietnam

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to assist the political and economic development of Vietnam.

Mike O'Brien: The UK's political and economic relations with Vietnam are strengthening.
	I visited Vietnam in March 2004. In May 2004, the President of Vietnam visited the UK. The President and his Ministerial team met Her Majesty the Queen, my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, myself and several other Ministers. We discussed trade, development, human rights, education and other issues.
	UK investments in Vietnam have now reached approximately £1.2 billion, making the UK one of the largest EU investors in Vietnam. Bilateral trade is worth over £600 million per year and rising. We are supporting Vietnam's efforts to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
	The Department for International Development's (DFID) support to Vietnam is one of the fastest growing UK aid programmes in the world. DFID programme resources are projected to increase from £23 million in 2003–04 to £40 million in 2004–05 and £60 million in 2005–06. This support assists Vietnam's social and economic development including the transition to a market-based economy.
	We also engage regularly with the Vietnamese Government on a range of other issues. On human rights, we participate in an EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in Hanoi on 22 June. We are also working with Vietnam and its neighbours to tackle terrorism, illegal immigration and organised crime in the region.

PRIME MINISTER

Al-Qaeda

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment has been made of the (a) number and (b) location of al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda-related terrorist cells.

Tony Blair: We continuously assess the threat from Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda-related terrorist cells, including their numbers and locations.

British European Commissioner

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the name of the next British European Commissioner before the summer recess.

Tony Blair: An announcement will be made shortly.

Israel/Palestine

Clare Short: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is towards Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and incorporate parts of the West Bank into Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I welcome the approval by the Israeli Cabinet on the principle of withdrawal from all settlements in Gaza and some in the West Bank. I hope that preparations for withdrawal will be carried out without delay and that implementation swiftly follows.
	As the Quartet indicated in their statement of 4 May, such a withdrawal would be in line with Phase One of the Roadmap and would be a real opportunity for progress. We and the rest of the international community must work to make it so.
	As the Quartet also indicated in their statement, we support the proposed withdrawals on the basis that they do not prejudice negotiations on the final status issues between the parries, as laid down in the Roadmap, including the issue of borders.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Coal Mine Surface Workers (Compensation)

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether compensation policies regarding coal mine surface workers suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are being reviewed.

Nigel Griffiths: Mr. Justice Turner asked the miners' solicitors for evidence to support claims for compensation for surface workers. I made sure that the solicitors had our full co-operation and access to all the British Coal dust records.
	Following the latest court hearing earlier this week, I understand that the solicitors have identified lead cases, which they intend to present to Mr. Justice Turner in advance of the respiratory disease court hearing on 4 to 5 October. As always, the DTI will meet the full liability to any miner determined by the courts.

Equal Opportunities

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the latest percentage figures are for the number of women in (a) science, engineering and technology industries and (b) other major sectors; and what the figures were in 1996.

Patricia Hewitt: The Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment levels. Analysis of the Labour Force Survey by occupation indicates that the percentage of women employees within science, engineering and technology was the same at 15 per cent. in 1996 and 2003. In comparison, women accounted for 49 per cent. of all employees in both 1996 and 2003.
	
		1. SET occupations by sex, 1996
		
			 Occupation Male Percentage Female Percentage Total 
		
		
			 Natural scientists 90,000 73 34,000 27 124,000 
			 Engineers and technologists 433,000 93 34,000 7 467,000 
			 Architects, town planners, surveyors 79,000 86 13,000 14 92,000 
			 Scientific technicians 188,000 74 66,000 26 254,000 
			 Draughtspersons, surveyors etc. 87,000 94 6,000 6 92,000 
			 Computer analysts, programmers 146,000 82 32,000 18 178,000 
			 SET total 1,022,000 85 185,000 15 1,207,000 
			 All employees 11,313,000 51 10,710,000 49 22,023,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, Spring 1996, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).
	
		2. SET occupations by sex, 2003
		
			 Occupation Male Percentage Female Percentage Total 
		
		
			 Science professionals 57,000 53 51,000 47 108,000 
			 Engineering professionals 350,000 95 19,000 5 369,000 
			 Information and communication technology 305,000 86 50,000 14 355,000 
			 Architects, town planners, surveyors 112,000 88 15,000 12 127,000 
			 Science and engineering technicians 194,000 82 44,000 18 238,000 
			 Draughtspersons and building inspectors 56,000 90 6,000 10 62,000 
			 SET total 1,073,000 85 185,000 15 1,258,000 
			 All employees 12,362,000 51 11,800,000 49 24,162,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, Spring 2003, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).

Libya

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to encourage British businesses to invest in Libya; and what the current level of UK investment in Libya is.

Mike O'Brien: Following my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit in March 2004 and his commitment to strengthen political and economic ties, I visited Libya in April 2004 accompanied by a high level business delegation.
	Over 50 UK-based companies have established branch offices in Libya in order to pursue their trade and investment interests. UK Trade and Investment is actively assisting these and other companies in their efforts to develop their business interests in that market and there is an on-going programme of activity in support of strengthening trade links with Libya. However there are no official figures on the financial level of the investment in Libya.

Nuclear Power/Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to extend the responsibilities of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security to deal with nuclear materials transported from UK licensed nuclear sites to nuclear sites abroad.

Stephen Timms: None. The Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) already has the power to regulate the security of nuclear material carried on board UK-flagged vessels anywhere in the world. Where nuclear material is exported from UK ports on foreign-flagged vessels, OCNS's regulatory powers cannot extend beyond UK territorial waters. Once in international waters, sole responsibility for the security of the nuclear material rests with the government of the carrier concerned.

Nuclear Power/Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations provided information used by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) to construct its design basis threat (DBT) for plants and operations of civil nuclear companies; and whether the OCNS shares information on the United Kingdom DBT with its United States counterpart.

Stephen Timms: The Design Basis Threat is a planning tool that draws principally on assessments produced by the Security Service and the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), of which OCNS is a member.
	OCNS discusses the processes involved in the production and use of a Design Basis Threat with many member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency, including the United States, but does not exchange analyses or conclusions that are protectively marked.

Nuclear Power/Security

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance the Office of Civil Nuclear Security offers to new carriers in designing a transport security plan.

Stephen Timms: The Office for Civil Nuclear Security offers advice on the procedures and standards necessary for new carriers to obtain regulatory approval for a transport security plan.

TRANSPORT

British Merchant Navy Officers (Employment)

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of British Merchant Navy officers employed on British registered and flagged vessels.

David Jamieson: We are currently considering whether or not to include additional measures to enhance UK seafarer employment opportunities within tonnage tax and have invited proposals from our social partners, including the maritime trades unions. The proposals will be given careful consideration. Tonnage tax is flag neutral so any revisions to the scheme would not apply solely to British registered vessels.

A30/A303

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce whether the dualling of the A30/A303 is to be added to the targeted programme of improvements of the Highways Agency.

David Jamieson: holding answer 6 July 2004
	The Secretary of State is currently considering two route options for improving the section of this road between Ilminster and Exeter.

Accountancy Advice

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts have been let by his Department in each financial year since 2001–02 to (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte and Touche, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young for advising his Department on private finance initiative and public-private partnership contracts; and what fees were paid in each case.

Tony McNulty: For work on the London Underground PPP, the Department for Transport (or its predecessors) employed Ernst and Young to provide advice. The contract was let in 2000–01 and about £884,000 was paid in fees. London Regional Transport, who were letting the LU PPP contracts, employed its own advisers, whose advice was shared with the Department, which included PricewaterhouseCoopers from early in 1999. PricewaterhouseCoopers received £21.4 million in fees. LRT also took advice from their auditors KPMG, who received about £2.4 million.

Advertising

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was spent on advertising and promotional literature for his Department's initiatives, broken down by year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. The Department spent £2.5 million in 2002–03 and £1.5 million in 2003–04 on the production of free literature. These figures include advertising and promotional literature plus items such as consultation reports. Separating out the figures for consultation reports could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Airports

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will issue guidance to airport operators in respect of the appropriate access plans referred to on page 11 of the White Paper, "The Future of Air Transport".

Tony McNulty: The Department published Guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies in July 1999. We will look to airport operators to take this guidance into account in assessing surface access proposals as part of their master plan preparation. Guidance on the preparation of master plans was published by DfT on 12 July and copies were placed in the Libraries of the House.

Aviation (State Aid)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the impact of state aid on (a) the European aviation industry and (b) competition.

Tony McNulty: As the Secretary of State explained to the Informal Transport Council in Amsterdam on 9 July during discussion of developments in aviation, state aid to EU airlines has been damaging in the past because it inhibits desirable structural change in the industry, discourages innovation and enterprise, and puts airlines which do not receive Government support at an unfair commercial disadvantage. This is why the Government have consistently supported the European Commission in its efforts over recent years to eliminate state aid in the aviation sector, efforts which have been largely successful.

Aviation (State Aid)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has made to the European Commission on the issues of state aid for (a) Alitalia and (b) other European airlines.

Tony McNulty: Officials are in contact with the European Commission about a proposed rescue package for Alitalia to be underwritten by the Italian Government. We have made no recent representations to the Commission about aid for other European airlines. We have no reason to believe that the Commission will be other than firm in its application of state aid rules in the aviation sector.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost per mile is of constructing the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link from St. Pancras; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Based on a projected cost of 5.2 billion and a route mileage of 70 miles, the implied unit cost of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is 74 million per mile. The link includes 16 route miles in tunnel and is engineered to a maximum line speed of 186 mph. Care needs to be taken in comparing the unit costs of different projects, given the widely different scope of works and the different characteristics and geography of lines.

Civil Aircraft (Safety)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps the UK authorities take to ensure the safety of civil aircraft flying to, from, or over the UK;
	(2)  which airlines are prohibited from flying to, from or over the UK.

Tony McNulty: International civil aviation is governed by the Chicago Convention. Under the Convention, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is responsible for establishing minimum safety standards which contracting states are required to implement. States are required to recognise the certificates issued by other contracting states unless they have reason to believe that they have not been issued in accordance with ICAO standards, ICAO also audits contracting states' aviation authorities to help identify and address any deficiencies in the implementation of international standards.
	Any airline from outside the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland which wishes to pick up or put down passengers or cargo in the UK requires a permit from the Secretary of State for Transport. It is a condition of the permit that the airline should be operated in accordance with international safety standards established by ICAO.
	If we have doubts about whether an aircraft or airline complies with international safety standards we will arrange for the aircraft to be inspected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Permits may be refused, and existing permits suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State. This may occur where there is a breach of a permit condition, which would include non-compliance with international safety standards; however action can also be taken for reasons other than safety. Permit decisions will be reviewed in the light of new information or changed circumstances.
	Currently the Secretary of State has refused or would refuse to issue permits to aircraft operated by the airlines listed below because of evidence that they are not receiving adequate regulatory oversight from their national aviation authorities.
	Any airline from Equatorial Guinea
	Any airline from Gambia
	Any airline from Liberia
	Any airline from Tajikistan
	Star Air Ltd. (Sierra Leone)
	Central Air Express (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
	Air Universal (Sierra Leone)
	Air Mauritanie (Mauritania)
	It should be noted that these airlines may be permitted to offer services to the UK, and issued with a permit, if these services are contracted out and operated by another airline. For example, Gambia International Airlines has services to the UK which are operated on their behalf by a Spanish airline.

Departmental Annual Report

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of his Department's and predecessor Department's annual report were printed in each year since 1997; how many were sold in each year; and what the (a) publication cost and (b) sales revenue were.

Tony McNulty: ISO Ltd. published and printed the Annual Reports of this department and its predecessors until 200304. The number of copies they printed and sold and the revenue they made is commercial in confidence and the Department therefore does not know these details.
	The costs to the Department for the past four financial years are set out as follows. Given Departmental changes, the costs of publication for the years 19972000 could be identified only at disproportionate cost.
	The DETR Annual Report cost 52,000 in 200001;
	the DTLR's Annual Report cost 37,761.14 in 200102; and
	the Department for Transport's cost 23,156 in 200203.
	In 200304, the Department changed its procedures and directly contracted a printer to print 1,100 copies of the Annual Report. 700 copies were provided to the publisher, TSO Ltd. The cost of publication was 34,112.76.

Departmental Buildings

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) renovation and (b) maintenance projects on buildings (i) owned and (ii) rented by his Department were undertaken in each of the last five years; and what the associated costs were of each.

Tony McNulty: Following Machinery of Government Changes the Department was formed on 29 May 2002. The following table provides details of renovation and .maintenance projects, excluding minor works and day-to-day maintenance.
	
		
		
			 Building 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Renovation   
			 Great Minster House(15) 500,000 0 
			 Southside(15) 0 2,600,000 
			 MAIB(15) 137,000 0 
			 AAIB(16) 68,000 103,000 
			 Maintenance   
			 Great Minster House(15) 0 577,000 
			 Great Minster House and Southside(15) 0 280,000 
			 Ashdown House(15) 58,000 0 
		
	
	(15) Rented
	(16) Freehold

Departmental IT Projects

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) costs and (b) time scales are of IT projects which are being undertaken by his Department and agencies; and if he will list the (i) start date, (ii) planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) planned cost and (v) current estimated cost of these projects.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The details below relate to the key IT projects that are monitored centrally and reported on to the e-Government Unit.
	
		
			 Completion date  Cost 
			 Project Cost Time scale Start date Planned Expected Planned Estimated 
		
		
			 Traffic Control Centre: PPP Service; providing co-ordinated real time information on traffic conditions across most strategic road network 160 million over 10 years 2.5 years implementation August 2001 August 2011 August 2011 160 million 160 million 
			   7.5 years operation  
			 Transport Direct Portal 45 million 3.8 years March 2002 December 2005 December 2005 Portal 28 million Portal 27 million 
			   Total 52 million Total 52 million 
			 Electronic Service Delivery of Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) 8.6 million development 3 years development April 2004 development August 2006 development August 2006 development 8.6 million development 8.6 million development 
			  1.2 million operation 2 years operation August 2006 operation July 2008 operation July 2008 operation 1.2 million operation 1.2 million operation 
			 Tax Disc RenewalEVL (Electronic Vehicle Licensing) 38 million 2 years November 2002 June 2004 November 2004 38 million 38 million 
			 Disability: electronic booking, returning and confirmation of driving assessments/electronic linking between mobility centres l million 2 years August 2003 March 2005 (roll-out) March 2005 (roll-out) 1 million l million 
			 Driver LicensingDRP (Drivers Re-engineering Project) 35 million 2.5 years June 2003 December 2005 December 2005 37 million 35 million

Departmental Publications (Storage)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many departmental publications are in storage; and where they are located.

Tony McNulty: As of 9 July 2004, the Department was storing 226 different posters and 627 other publications at its storage and fulfilment contractor: Two-Ten Communications in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
	A further 169 titles are stored by TSO Ltd., in their premises at Nine Elms Lane in London, while 90 titles are printed on demand rather than being stored physically. The Department has established a contract whereby an increasing number of titles can be printed on demand economically to maintain a printed document service in parallel with its increasing use of the internet.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total amount paid by his Department to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff was in financial year 200304.

Tony McNulty: The total amount paid to employment agencies by DfT(C) for the supply of temporary staff in financial year 200304 was 2,899,192.58.

Driving Standards Agency

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what ways the Driving Standards Agency contributes to the understanding of driving standards by road users after they have passed their driving tests.

David Jamieson: Working with key stakeholders, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has implemented and continues to develop strategies to extend the understanding of driving standards by full licence holders.
	The Pass Plus training scheme enables newly qualified drivers to gain driving experience in a range of road and traffic conditions that they may not have experiencedsuch as driving on a motorway. It also boosts awareness of hazards and provides advice on how to anticipate and respond safely to them.
	DSA operates a voluntary registration scheme providing quality assurance of instructors who specialise in training for those who regularly drive cars and small vans as part of their work.
	The agency's Arrive Alive Classic presentation is aimed at drivers aged 50 plus, and gives advice on driving standards and the effects of ageingfor example, hearing problems and failing eyesight.
	DSA publishes advice for people returning to motorcycling after a break, and those who ride as part of their work. The agency, in partnership with members of the Government's Advisory Group on Motorcycling, is also formulating proposals for a developmental training scheme for qualified motorcyclists.
	Under commercial contracts, DSA examiners assess and monitor the standards of some bus and taxi drivers on behalf of their employers and public bodies.
	Finally, for all road users, the agency, together with the Stationery Office, produces the Highway Code which has annual sales of over 800,000.

Flight Operators (Insolvency)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are in place to protect air travellers whose flight operator becomes insolvent; and what recent discussions he has had with the industry on these measures, with particular reference to operators of low cost charter flights.

Tony McNulty: Air travellers who book a flight as part of a package are protected by the ATOL scheme. In the event of failure of the travel organiser, the airline or any other part of the package, customers are entitled to a refund of their money or if abroad at the time of failure, they will be repatriated. I have had no recent discussions with the airline industry on this issue.

London Underground (Particulates)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what levels of particulates in the air were recorded at each level of underground tunnels on the London underground system in each year from 1993 to 2003.

Tony McNulty: This is an operational matter for London Underground (LU), which transferred from central Government to Transport for London on 15 July 2003.
	London Underground does not hold the information in the format requested. Nevertheless, I understand from LUL that dust levels throughout the tube network are many times lower than the statutory occupational exposure limits for various forms of dust, as set by the Health and Safety Executive. Studies by LUL and by independent academic institutions have found no evidence of any harmful health effects on their staff.
	I also understand that dust levels on the underground have been steadily reducing over the years as a result of improved cleaning regimes and technical changes.

Motorways/M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the estimated cost is of his proposal for widening the M6 motorway between junctions 11 and 20;
	(2)  for what reasons the proposal to widen the M6 motorway between Junctions 11 and 20 has not been entered in the Targeted Programme of Improvements.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency has been carrying out further detailed work on a scheme to widen the M6 between junctions 11a and 19, following the announcement in December 2002, when the Secretary of State for Transport confirmed his support, in principle, for this scheme. The further work has taken longer than expected, due partly to the complexity of the associated traffic modelling. It is currently expected that this scheme will cost around 2 billion. However, the Secretary of State for Transport announced last week that he is considering building a new expressway to run parallel with the M6 between Birmingham and Manchester as an alternative to widening the existing M6. The Department for Transport issued a consultation paper M6: giving motorists a choice, which invites views.

Motorways/M6

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  on what date copies of the document, M6: giving motorists a choiceA consultation proposal, published on 6 July, were delivered to the Department by its printers;
	(2)  on what date the document, M6: giving motorists a choiceA consultation proposal, was printed by his Department's printers;
	(3)  on what date the first draft proofs of the document M6: giving motorists a choiceA consultation proposal were delivered to the Department's printers.

David Jamieson: The consultation document'M6: giving motorists a choice: A Consultation Proposal' was printed on Monday 5 July and delivered to the Department on the same day. Further copies of the document were delivered to the Department on Tuesday 6 July 2004. Draft text of the document was first sent from the Department to the designers on 29 June and artwork for the document was delivered to the printers on 2 July 2004.

Motorways/M6

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements the Department is making for the document 'M6: giving motorists a choice: A Consultation Proposal' to be delivered to residents in the (a) Seabridge, (b) Westlands, (c) Keele, (d) Halmer End, (e) Audley, (f) Wrinehill, (g) Betley, (h) Balterley, (i) Butterton and (j) Madeley areas of the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

David Jamieson: The document seeks views at this stage on the broad concept of a tolled expressway alongside the existing M6. It has been sent to all Members of Parliament whose constituents are situated within the West Midlands and North West of England. Copies have also been placed in the House Library, in the normal way.
	Copies of the document have also been sent to a wide range of people and organisations along the M6 between Junctions 11 and 20, including Staffordshire county council, Stoke on Trent city council and Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council. Members of the public can obtain a copy of the document from my Department and it is also available on the Department for Transport website.
	If, following the consultation it is decided to carry out further feasibility work and development on the expressway proposal, consultation will be carried out at a later stage with interested parties and residents on possible alignments for the route.

Motorways/M6

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on motorway fast lanes for car sharers.

David Jamieson: The announcement about a feasibility study into High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes on motorways was made last week, and within four days, nine representations had been made. The majority of these were in favour of the proposals and several offered useful advice or suggestions, all of which will be taken into consideration as part of the work that the Highways Agency will be taking forward over the next few months.

Parking Control (Private Companies)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local councils have tendered out their parking control to private companies.

Tony McNulty: Information on local authority parking control contracts is not collected centrally.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2004, Official Report, column 697W, on heavy goods vehicles, when he intends to announce who will carry out an updated cost-benefit analysis for making ECE 104 compliant retro-reflective tape mandatory in the UK; when he expects this study to be published; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My Department expects to announce who will carry out the cost benefit analysis, during September once the tendering process has been completed. We expect that the results of the study will be published by the end of February 2005.
	The Department will then consult interested parties about the German proposal to mandate UNECE 104 tape in UNECE Regulation 48 for all new vehicles over 12 tonnes.

Rail Network (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the cost of maintaining London's rail network is expected to be in each of the next five years;
	(2)  how much was spent on the maintenance of London's overground rail network in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2001, (d) 2003 and (e) 2004.

Tony McNulty: Network Rail advises that this information is not available in the form requested.

Road Accidents

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) proportion of road casualties in crashes involving (i) a road traffic offence, (ii) unlicensed driver, (iii) untaxed vehicle and (iv) no valid insurance in the last year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: The information is not available in the form required.

Road Accidents

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he has set to reduce road fatalities and injuries among children.

David Jamieson: Our road safety strategy, Tomorrow's RoadsSafer for Everyone, published in March 2000, set a challenging target of reducing child road deaths or serious injuries by 50 per cent., compared with the baseline average for 199498, by 2010.
	Road Casualties Great Britain 2003: Main Results, published on 24 June 2004, shows that we are making excellent progress. Child deaths or serious injuries were down 40 per cent. from their baseline; over three-quarters of the way towards our 50 per cent. target.

Road Accidents

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data his Department has collected on the comparative performance of emergency services and other Government agencies in reducing transport delays after road traffic incidents.

David Jamieson: Data are not available centrally on the performance of emergency services in reducing transport delays after road traffic incidents.
	Highways Agency Traffic Officers will be responsible for clearing incidents and getting traffic moving. The success of the initiative will be evaluated against a number of criteria, including: incident detection time; incident response time; clearance times following incidents; incident related congestion; and road safety benefits.

Road Accidents

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data the Department has collated on the performance of (a) emergency services and (b) other Government agencies in reducing transport delays after road traffic incidents.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given earlier today (UIN 182419).

Road and Rail Safety

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent in 2003 to improve safety on (a) the road network operated by the Highways Agency and (b) the passenger rail network.

David Jamieson: holding answer 8 July 2004
	There is a safety element to all of the Highways Agency's projects. The safety component of its 1.7 billion budget for 200304 was not costed separately.
	Safety spend on the passenger rail network is built into budget heads such as infrastructure or staff training. It is therefore not possible to separately identify the spend on rail safety.

Road and Rail Safety

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements his Department makes for the education of children on matters of road safety; and what funding is made available to support such education.

David Jamieson: Local authorities have statutory responsibility for road safety, including education, training and publicity programmes for children. They develop programmes locally, drawing also on materials produced centrally by my Department. These programmes are aimed at children themselves, and at their parents and carers. We conduct national publicity campaigns, such as the hedgehog commercials. Schools can also provide road safety education and we produce materials for them, such as lesson plans.
	The Department's publicity programme has a budget of some 2.53 million in 2004/05. Local authorities and schools can rely on revenue support from central Government and revenue raised locally to fund their programmes. The Department also funds development. Kerbcrafta method of child pedestrian training successfully piloted in Scotlandis being tested throughout England. 9 million is being made available to selected local authorities.
	Our national target for child road safety is to achieve a 50 per cent. reduction in children killed and seriously injured by 2010, compared to the 199498 average. We are making good progress, with a reduction of 40 per cent. achieved by the end of 2003.

Speed Cameras

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reviews take place and how often, on the siting of speed cameras; who conducts them; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: In his statement to the House on the Safety Camera Programme on 15 June, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport noted that the Government expect Safety Camera Partnerships of police and local highway authorities to keep camera sites under review and up to date with local circumstances. He indicated that the Department will give guidance to partnerships on the operational cases they submit each year, asking them in particular to look at camera sites where a good safety record has been achieved, to assess whether cameras need to be retained, and also to look at sites where there appears to be a continuing problem of collisions notwithstanding the use of cameras, to assess whether further or different action should be takentaking into account the views of both local communities and those of road users.

Speed Cameras

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras are in operation in the London borough of Havering.

David Jamieson: Havering is covered by the London Safety Camera Partnership. The list of approved safety camera sites operated by each Partnership, including London, was published on 15 June, and a copy placed in the Library of the House.

Speed Cameras

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the money raised in fines from speed cameras in Havering has been distributed since their introduction.

David Jamieson: Havering is covered by the London Safety Camera Partnership, which was accepted into the safety camera cost recovery scheme in April 2002. Fixed penalty fines totalling 5,121,060 resulted from the operation of safety cameras in the London partnership area in 200203. 4,549,380 was reimbursed to the partnership to cover the cost of its safety camera activity. In line with the general practice on fine revenues, the remaining 571,680 was passed to the Treasury. The figures for 200304 will be published in due course.

Speed Cameras

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what activities police forces will be allowed to spend the revenue resulting from speed cameras.

Kim Howells: holding answer 15 July 2004
	Fines imposed on offenders normally accrue to the Consolidated Fund. The special arrangements for the Safety Camera Programme provide that the Safety Camera Partnerships of local police and highway authorities can be reimbursed for the costs involved in the installation and operation of safety cameras and the enforcement of the resulting fixed penalty fines. Any remaining fines go to the Consolidated Fund.

Train Timetables

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to prevent train operating companies setting arrival times that allow an excessive journey time of the last leg of a journey, with consequent effects on the public performance measure.

Tony McNulty: Train Operating Companies (TOCs) are bound by public service obligations in their franchises that prescribe the maximum journey times they may allow for each service. TOCs are also accountable under franchise agreements for consulting with the SRA, rail passenger committees and local authorities on any material changes to their timetables, even where these are made within the allowed journey times.

Train Timetables

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of inter-city trains terminating at London terminals arrived more than 10 minutes early in 2003.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority publishes Public Performance Measure data by train operating company in its quarterly National Rail Trends. Trains arriving early are recorded as 'on time'. The latest publication covers the year ending 31 March 2004 and copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

Wales-England Transport Links

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve transport links between Wales and England; and when he next plans to meet his Welsh Assembly counterpart to discuss this.

Kim Howells: My Department enjoys a good working relationship with the Welsh Assembly Government and my ministerial colleagues and I are always happy to meet our counterparts from the Assembly to discuss how transport links between Wales and England might be strengthened.
	Rail links between England and North Wales will benefit from the West Coast Main Line upgrade, which will improve both frequency and journey times. In addition, under its new franchise, Arrive Trains Wales is considering an improved timetablethe Standard Pattern Timetable, where trains depart at regular intervals throughout the dayfor introduction in December 2005.
	Improvements to rail links between England and South Wales are being considered in the Strategic Rail Authority's Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy and Regional Planning Assessment, due for completion in autumn 2004 and spring 2005 respectively.
	The Highways Agency has two schemes in its Targeted Programme of Improvements which will improve road links: improvements to the A550/A5117 between Deeside Park and the M56 interchange; and the A483 Pant and Llanymynech bypass.
	The Agency has regular meetings with the Welsh Assembly to discuss how transport links between Wales and England can be strengthened.

West Coast Main Line

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost per mile is of upgrading the west coast main line; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The West Coast Main Line renewal and upgrade is projected to cost 7.6 billion. The route mileage is some 700 miles, implying a unit cost of 10.9 million per mile. The actual cost will be sensitive to the number of tracks and the scope of work within each route mile. Care needs to be taken in comparing the unit costs of different projects, given the widely different scope of works and the different characteristics and geography of lines.